7 Ways to Avoid Gallstones During Pregnancy

Posted by Deborah Graefer, L.Ac. MTOM
on
February 02, 2017

You’re wobbling your way to the toilet for
another pee break, you can’t sleep well because the baby’s constantly kicking
and you keep on forgetting where you placed the car keys! With these and many
other pregnancy quirks that drive you nuts, the last thing you want is to add
gallbladder issues to the list of your worries.

Some of the symptoms of gallbladder disease
are similar to the weird feeling you have to endure as an expectant mother.
Nausea, bloating, vomiting, gas, acid reflux, constipation and foggy brain are
common woes that both gallbladder patients and pregnant moms experience. If
that’s how you’re feeling, then you may just shrug and say it’s just normal.
However, more pronounced symptoms like pain between shoulder blades, tenderness
under the right rib cage and strange looking stools clearly spell trouble. If
you notice any of these things beyond the first trimester or you just have a
feeling that something is not right with your body, don’t take a chance.
Consult your doctor about your gallbladder. Via ultrasound, you may be able to
confirm whether you have a gallbladder problem or not.

While there are more than 30 different
conditions or lifestyle choices that contribute to the formation of gallstones
or cholelithiasis, the medical profession (excluding researchers) are still
teaching the 4 “F’s” to their medical students, namely: female, forty, fertile and fat. Apart from
being derogatory, it alludes to the inevitability of gallbladder disease for
women as they bear children, either now or later. Although that mnemonic is an
inaccurate generalization, it unfortunately has a certain degree of truth to
it.

At the age of 40, a woman may have already
had several pregnancies. Statistics also show that there is a greater
possibility of weight gain or obesity as we grow older. As for fertility, the
term does not refer to the ability to conceive, but rather to conceiving. More
pregnancies tend to increase the chances of developing gallstones. The basis of
this assumption is the number of months spent with each successive pregnancy,
with an increase in hormones. Elevated hormone levels during pregnancy,
particularly progesterone, cause the gallbladder to function less efficiently.
Birth control pills and medications containing estrogen also trigger the same
reaction.

Given these explanations, the risk of
developing gallbladder diseases (especially gallstones) indeed comes with the
baby package or during a woman’s childbearing age. Whether you have a
gallbladder or not, these hormonal factors greatly affect the flow and quality
of bile. Bile is the substance produced in the liver, stored in the gallbladder
and released to the intestines to digest fats and help assimilate fat-soluble
vitamins and minerals.

What
can possibly happen?

Since the gallbladder is closely working
with the liver, the pancreas and the gastrointestinal system as a whole, any
irregularities in its function can start a series of health problems.

First, it is possible for the gallbladder
not to drain completely when needed. This means that we can have insufficient
amount of bile for digestion. Worse, if bile sits in the gallbladder for a long
time, it may cause calcification of the gallbladder or the formation of
gallstones.

Second, abnormal gallbladder performance
may encourage the formation of biliary sludge or the thickening of the bile. This
can be aggravated by the super saturation of the bile due to excess hormones.
This means that you may develop a higher ratio of cholesterol to bile salts. Over
time, these bile conditions can lead to gallstones. It is no wonder that gallstones and pregnancy just seem to go together!

Third possibility is that the lack of bile
due to a deficiency or sludge may result in constipation since bile is a major
contributor to the movement of the bowel.

Lastly, gallstones may obstruct biliary
ducts. This can also lead to cholecystitis or the inflammation of the
gallbladder. Gallstones in itself do not cause pain most of the time but
complications like these can be very painful. Infections arising from the
gallbladder diseases may also have an effect on the baby.When you are suffering from a gallbladder
attack, you may find it very difficult to eat or rest, thereby depriving
yourself and your baby the care and nutrition you both need.

What
do you do then?

Despite the inevitable risk, there is still
good news for pregnant women. Yes, you are more likely to develop gallbladder
disease during pregnancy. However, there is still something you can do to
prevent it or to stop any pre-existing gallbladder problems from getting any
worse. If you’re planning a pregnancy or if you are within the childbearing
age, this is also for you. Take note of the magic word – DIET. Pregnant or not,
what you eat spells the difference between a healthy or a problematic
gallbladder. Here are some suggestions:

Dietary
Tips to Avoid Gallstone and Gallbladder Symptoms During Pregnancy

Note: If you are having difficulty eating due to gallbladder pain, these tips as well as the supplements should tone those symptoms down enough to increase your calories and especially your fats.

Do not
overeat – Contrary to popular belief, eating for two doesn’t mean you have to
double up your food portions to keep your little one full. Your baby can only
take so much and all of the excess food can take its toll on you. Overeating
makes digestion difficult and can trigger gallbladder attacks. Moreover, it can
lead to unnecessary weight gain during pregnancy which can make childbirth and
recovery more difficult.

Choose
your fats wisely – Since the gallbladder is already under stress due to
hormones going overdrive during pregnancy, it would be best to avoid bad fats.
This means saying no to fried, oily, and trans-fat laden foods. Since you still
need fats for your own nourishment and the baby’s, try to find healthier
alternatives. Instead of getting that fat slab of pork for your protein, why
not try cold-water fish like cod or trout? Saturated fat from small amounts
of lean, grass-fed meat is a good choice too. The omega-3 fatty acids from
these are beneficial not just for you but your child’s development.

Watch your
sugar – Aside from fats, you should also steer clear of foods with high sugar
content. High sugar diets are linked to
gallstone formation in anyone.And a
high sugar diet during pregnancy may lead to gestational diabetes. People with
diabetes often have high triglyceride levels, a condition which is linked to
the development of gallstones.

Avoid
refined foods- Notwithstanding the fact that refined foods offer you very
little nutrients and fiber (compared to whole foods), these types of foods also
usually contain high sodium and refined sugar. Heavily processed foods are also
commonly high in fat and calories. To prolong shelf life, there are often
subjected to a number of preservatives that can take its toll on you in the
long run. And none of these additives are good for the baby.

Add to every meal at least one food that is
known to be helpful to the gallbladder like artichokes and beets.

Know your
food allergies– Food sensitivities can lead to painful gallbladder attacks.
Common food allergens are gluten and dairy. Eggs, pork and onion are the 3 top
foods that trigger gallbladder attacks. For a list of foods to eat and to
avoid, you may explore the diet section of the website.

If you can keep a gallbladder-friendly diet
coupled with exercise, enough rest and appropriate supplementation throughout
your pregnancy, that would greatly help your body maintain its normal
functions.

Gallbladder
and Pregnancy: Will supplements help?

Of course! Our bodies need as much help as
possible when we’re planning for a pregnancy and especially when we’re on our
way. If you are religiously following your OB-gynecologist’s advice, then
taking vitamins and supplements may no longer be new to you. For example, folic
acid, calcium and iron are often recommended to mommies-to-be.

To care for your gallbladder, you can go
beyond diet and you could take supplements that support your bile throughout the last two trimesters. There are also natural ways to help you with your sugar cravings or false hunger that may cause you to unnecessarily gain weight and run the risk of diabetes. Keeping a healthy diet with the proper food portions will definitely make digestion easier as well.

Pregnant with Gallstones?

If you have confirmed that you are pregnant
with gallstones or any other gallbladder disease, it will be up to you and your
doctor to determine the next step.For
“silent gallstones” or gallstones not causing any pain, you may be advised to
wait and see while keeping a healthy diet and lifestyle. Doctors may also prescribe
ursodeoxycholic acid or bile salts to give you relief from gallbladder
symptoms. Other conservative treatments include the use of intravenous fluids,
antispasmodics, certain antibiotics and correction of electrolyte imbalance.

In cases when there is already infection,
inflammation or blockage within the biliary system, your doctor may decide to
remove your gallbladder. However, this is not the preferred treatment and it
would still need to be cleared on a case to case basis. Unless symptoms are
acute, cholecystectomy is usually done during the second trimester of
pregnancy to minimize the risk of affecting the baby.The surgical technique that is most commonly
used is laparoscopy as this is a lot less invasive than other procedures.

Moderate Exercise

Physical movement moves your "chi", your lymph, your blood and your bile. It also helps to move the bowel. It can also help your mood. It can get uncomfortable to move during the last trimester for some, but lack of movement just contributes to the stagnation of the bile and the gallbladder which adds to discomfort in other areas. So try to get in at least some light exercise on a daily basis.

Looking
forward

Females are twice as likely as males to
develop gallbladder issues. Unfortunately, the risk of gallstones and other
related diseases increases with the number of pregnancies and as you get
older. Gallbladder removal is also not a fool proof way to rid you of these symptoms. Therefore, keeping an active lifestyle and staying away from other
possible causes of gallbladder problems
will always be a good thing.And continuing
a healthy diet even after pregnancy will surely work to your advantage.

Causes of Gallbladder Disease

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* These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. The products and information on this website are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. The information on this site is for educational purposes only and should not be considered medical advice. Please speak with an appropriate healthcare professional when evaluating any wellness related therapy.